The mediating role of teaching enthusiasm in the relationship between mindfulness, growth mindset, and psychological well-being of Chinese EFL teachers

Chinese EFL teachers operate in a rapidly changing educational landscape with high expectations, often experiencing stress, anxiety, and burnout that threaten psychological well-being. Teacher well-being benefits both educators and students through improved engagement, achievement, and social-emotional outcomes. This study examines how mindfulness (present-moment, non-judgmental awareness) and growth mindset (belief in the developability of abilities) relate to teacher well-being, and whether teaching enthusiasm mediates these relationships. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study addresses: (RQ1) the direct relation between mindfulness and well-being; (RQ2) the direct relation between growth mindset and well-being; (RQ3) whether teaching enthusiasm mediates the links between mindfulness/growth mindset and well-being; and (RQ4) how teachers describe their lived experiences of these constructs in daily practice. The purpose is to elucidate pathways to well-being in the Chinese EFL context and inform interventions in teacher training and professional development.

Psychological well-being: Based on Ryff’s multidimensional model (autonomy, environmental mastery, positive relations, personal growth, purpose in life, self-acceptance), teacher well-being affects classroom climate, student achievement, retention, and readiness to support student mental health. Teacher mindfulness: Mindfulness and mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) reduce stress, anxiety, and burnout, and improve emotion regulation, job satisfaction, pedagogical practices, and teacher–student interactions. In EFL contexts, mindfulness benefits both teachers and students and is linked to improved classroom climate and student outcomes. Teaching enthusiasm: Defined as passion and excitement for teaching, enthusiasm relates to student motivation, engagement, achievement, positive classroom climate, and teachers’ well-being. Mindfulness may bolster enthusiasm by reducing stress and improving emotion regulation; enthusiasm in EFL contexts supports language achievement, creativity, and teacher engagement. Teacher growth mindset: A growth mindset is associated with reduced stress/anxiety/burnout and increased self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and emotion regulation among teachers; in EFL settings, growth mindset predicts engagement, enjoyment, grit, lower burnout, and stronger professional identity. Hypothesized model: Mindfulness and growth mindset have direct positive effects on well-being; teaching enthusiasm mediates the effects of mindfulness and growth mindset on well-being. Research questions reflect these hypothesized pathways.

Design: Explanatory sequential mixed-methods with quantitative survey followed by qualitative interviews. Participants and sampling: Quantitative phase included 268 full-time Chinese EFL secondary teachers (grades 7–12) from 12 public schools across three provinces, selected via stratified random sampling (balanced for gender, age, experience; 63% female; mean age ~35; 45% urban/55% rural; mean teaching experience ~7 years). Power analysis (G*Power) indicated minimum n=221 for f²=0.15, α=.05, power=.80; achieved n=268. Qualitative phase purposively sampled 12 teachers from diverse regions (urban/rural), grade levels (primary, middle, high), and experience for semi-structured interviews (60–90 minutes, Mandarin). Instruments: Psychological well-being (Ryff & Keyes, 18 items, 7-point Likert); Mindfulness (MAAS, 15 items, 6-point Likert); Teaching Enthusiasm (Kunter et al., Likert-type; e.g., “I really enjoy teaching in this class.”); Growth Mindset (Dweck, 8 items, 6-point Likert). Validity and reliability: Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) tested factor structures and convergent/discriminant validity; Cronbach’s alphas ranged 0.84–0.91. Procedures: Online anonymous survey with informed consent; interviews recorded, transcribed, and translated by a bilingual researcher. Data analysis: Quantitative—EM imputation for missing data; descriptive stats; CFA and SEM (AMOS ML estimation). Model fit assessed via χ²/df, RMSEA, SRMR, CFI, TLI, GFI. Indirect effects tested with bootstrapping (5000 resamples) and bias-corrected 95% CIs. Qualitative—Thematic analysis with line-by-line coding, iterative codebook, second-coder reliability (20% double-coded, consensus resolution), member checking, and triangulation with quantitative results.

Descriptive statistics (Table 1): Means indicated generally positive dispositions (Mindfulness M=2.96, SD=0.48; Growth Mindset M=3.16, SD=0.61; Enthusiasm M=3.56, SD=0.69; Well-being M=3.79, SD=0.56). Reliability was strong (α=0.84–0.91). Correlations (Table 2): All constructs were positively and significantly related (e.g., Mindfulness–Well-being r=0.53; Growth Mindset–Well-being r=0.33; Enthusiasm–Well-being r=0.54; all p<0.01). Measurement model fit: χ²=520.75, df=185, χ²/df=2.81, RMSEA=0.047, SRMR=0.043, CFI=0.972, TLI=0.957. Common method factor did not substantially improve fit. Structural model fit: χ²=310.75, df=160, χ²/df=1.94, CFI=0.963, TLI=0.952, RMSEA=0.031 (90% CI [0.024, 0.041]); all hypothesized paths significant. Direct effects (β, 95% CI, p): Mindfulness→Well-being 0.36 [0.25, 0.47], p<0.001; Growth Mindset→Well-being 0.41 [0.30, 0.52], p<0.001; Enthusiasm→Well-being 0.59 [0.50, 0.68], p<0.001. Indirect (mediated by Enthusiasm): Mindfulness→Enthusiasm→Well-being 0.22 [0.15, 0.29], p<0.01; Growth Mindset→Enthusiasm→Well-being 0.25 [0.18, 0.32], p<0.01. Total effects: Mindfulness→Well-being 0.58 [0.50, 0.66], p<0.001; Growth Mindset→Well-being 0.66 [0.58, 0.74], p<0.001. Qualitative themes: (1) Mindfulness practices (e.g., deep breathing, brief reflection) support focus, composure, and stress management; (2) Growth mindset sustains motivation and resilience, developed through experience and professional development; (3) A positive feedback loop whereby enthusiasm for teaching energizes teachers, enhances engagement, and reinforces well-being, with mindfulness helping to maintain enthusiasm under challenges. Overall, teaching enthusiasm significantly mediates the effects of mindfulness and growth mindset on well-being.

The study answers RQ1 and RQ2 by confirming that both mindfulness and growth mindset directly and positively predict psychological well-being among Chinese EFL teachers, consistent with prior literature linking mindfulness to stress reduction and emotion regulation, and growth mindset to resilience, self-efficacy, and job satisfaction. Addressing RQ3, teaching enthusiasm emerged as a robust mediator, indicating that mindfulness and growth mindset enhance well-being partly by cultivating a more positive, energetic teaching presence. Proposed mechanisms include mindfulness-driven stress reduction, improved emotion regulation, and self-compassion, and growth-mindset-driven agency and motivation, all of which bolster enthusiasm. The qualitative accounts contextualize these pathways in daily practice, explaining how teachers apply mindfulness to maintain composure, adopt growth-oriented strategies when facing challenges, and experience enthusiasm through student engagement and breakthroughs. Together, findings highlight interconnected routes to well-being and point to the strategic value of interventions targeting mindfulness, growth mindset, and enthusiasm in EFL contexts.

This mixed-methods study demonstrates that mindfulness and growth mindset each directly promote Chinese EFL teachers’ psychological well-being and, crucially, also act indirectly through teaching enthusiasm. The study contributes an empirically supported model clarifying how internal dispositions translate into well-being via enthusiastic teaching. Practical implications include integrating mindfulness-based practices and growth mindset training into teacher education and professional development, and cultivating school environments and pedagogies (e.g., collaborative planning, project-based learning) that nurture enthusiasm. Future research should probe mechanisms in greater depth, examine contextual moderators (e.g., culture, leadership, personality), and employ longitudinal designs to assess durability and downstream effects on students and school climate.

Findings are based partly on self-reported survey data, which may be affected by social desirability or self-assessment bias; future work could include physiological indicators (e.g., HRV), structured observations, and informant reports (students/colleagues). Generalizability is limited to Chinese EFL teachers; cross-cultural studies are needed to test the model in varied contexts, given cultural differences in values and responses to mindfulness and growth mindset. Longitudinal and experimental designs are recommended to establish temporal ordering, test sustained effects, and assess impacts on student outcomes and school climate.